1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to apparatuses, storage media, and methods for using print data by computer systems, and more specifically, relates to a print data management apparatus which can use print data advantageously in terms of data capacity, a storage medium having stored therein a print data management program, a storage medium having stored therein usage certificate data, and a method of using print data.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, when a buyer purchases an item at a store, a receipt, which is a detailed statement of the item, is issued to the buyer.
Various information that is supplied as printed matter can be converted into data. In accordance with the needs of users, the data is printed for use. Concerning receipts, instead of immediately issuing a receipt as printed matter, the receipt is converted into data, and, for example, the receipt data can be subsequently used in accounting or the like. As a result, the buyer cannot possibly lose the receipt. Also, the management of the receipt does not become complex, which is very convenient.
On the other hand, in recent years, it has been possible to use various data by using portable terminals, such as cellular phones and the like. An example of this is i-mode offered by NTT Communications Network, Inc. (NTT DoCoMo). When receipts are converted into data and the receipt data is used by a portable terminal, the receipt data is stored in the portable terminal. The number of receipts that can be stored in the portable terminal is limited since it is difficult to install a large-capacity memory in the portable terminal, due to issues of cost reduction and size.
A similar problem may be experienced not only with receipts but also with other printed matter.